Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat)
Factors affecting the property in 2005*
- Management systems/ management plan
- Water infrastructure
- Other Threats:
Fragile mud brick structures
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Partial flooding and seepage due to a dam building project (interrupted for the time being);
- Fragile mud brick structures;
- Absence of a comprehensive conservation and management plan. l>
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2005
Total amount approved : 50,000 USD
| 2003 | Emergency assistance to prepare an urgent nomination of ... (Approved) | 50,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2005**
November 2002.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2005
As reported at the 28th session of the Committee (Suzhou, 2004), a Preliminary work plan for an assessment mission to the site was prepared in order to develop an emergency conservation plan as well as the basis for a management plan of the site. However, the implementation of this activity had to be delayed, due to the current security constraints. The amount remaining under the International Assistance Request was returned to the World Heritage Fund at the end of the previous biennium, the building of the dam which had justified the emergency request being halted. In October 2004, the State Party submitted a new request, in the form of a letter in Arabic, which did not correspond either to the standard format or to activities foreseen under technical cooperation in the Operational Guidelines. A new Assistance Request is under preparation by the State Party.
UNESCO has developed a large programme for cultural heritage preservation in Iraq, to which the World Heritage Centre contributes partially. Thanks to a donation from the Czech Republic to the World Heritage Fund, US$ 30,000 were allocated to the purchase of photogrammetric equipment. In addition, a US$ 100,000 contribution from the Nordic World Heritage Foundation allowed the World Heritage Centre to organize a training workshop in Amman, Jordan, in September 2004, in order to introduce ten Iraqi specialists to the concepts and procedures of the Convention. Two additional workshops are due to take place in 2005 to develop a complete Nomination File for the site of Samarra.
At the time of drafting this document, no report from the State Party has yet been received.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2005
29 COM 7A.18
Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 28 COM 15A.18 taken at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),
3. Notes with concern the security situation in Iraq which is causing delays in the implementation of activities for the conservation of Ashur;
4. Encourages the State Party of Iraq to establish, as early as possible, a site management coordination unit, which will be responsible for any action to be undertaken on the property;
5. Requests the State Party to prepare a conservation and management plan for the property, possibly through an international assistance request and, should the situation allow, with international expertise;
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS to continue assisting the responsible Iraqi authorities;
7. Further requests the State Party to report, by 1 February 2006, on the progress made in implementing the above recommendations, for examination by the Committee at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006);
8. Decides to retain Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.29 COM 8C.2
New World Heritage List in Danger
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined the of state of conservation reports of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-05/29.COM/7A and WHC-05/29.COM/7A.Add),
2. Decides to maintain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
- Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan)(Decision 29 COM 7A.20)
- Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan)(Decision 29 COM 7A.21)
- Tipasa (Algeria) (Decision 29 COM 7A.16)
- Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower (Azerbaijan) (Decision 29 COM 7A.28)
- Royal Palaces of Abomey (Benin) (Decision 29 COM 7A.13)
- Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Central African Republic)(Decision 29 COM 7A.1)
- Comoé National Park (Côte d'Ivoire) (Decision 29 COM 7A.2)
- Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea) (Decision 29 COM 7A.3)
- Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Rep. of the Congo) (Decision 29 COM 7A.5)
- Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Rep. of the Congo) (Decision 29 COM 7A.5)
- Virunga National Park (Democratic Rep. of the Congo) (Decision 29 COM 7A.5)
- Garamba National Park (Democratic Rep. of the Congo) (Decision 29 COM 7A.5)
- Salonga National Park (Democratic Rep. of the Congo) (Decision 29 COM 7A.5)
- Abu Mena (Egypt) (Decision 29 COM 7A.17)
- Simien National Park (Ethiopia) (Decision 29 COM 7A.4)
- Cologne Cathedral (Germany) (Decision 28 COM 7A.29)
- Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) (Decision 29 COM 7A.12)
- Group of Monuments at Hampi (India) (Decision 29 COM 7A.22)
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India) (Decision 29 COM 7A.9)
- Bam and its Cultural Landscape (Islamic Republic of Iran) (Decision 29 COM 7A.23)
- Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) (Decision 29 COM 7A.18)
- Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (Jerusalem) (Decision 29 COM 7A.31)
- Kathmandu Valley (Nepal ) (Decision 29 COM 7A.24)
- Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) (Decision 29 COM 7A.6)
- Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Pakistan) (Decision 29 COM 7A.25)
- Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru) (Decision 29 COM 7A.30)
- Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Philippines) (Decision 29 COM 7A.26)
- Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal) (Decision 29 COM 7A.7)
- Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia) (Decision 29 COM 7A.8)
- Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (United Republic of Tanzania) (Decision 28 COM 7A.15)
- Everglades National Park (United States of America) (Decision 29 COM 7A.10)
- Historic Town of Zabid (Yemen) (Decision 29 COM 7A.19)
Draft Decision: 29 COM 7A.18
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 28 COM 15A.18 taken at its 28th sessions (Suzhou, 2004),
3. Notes with concern the security situation in Iraq; which is notablys causing delays in the implementation of activities for the conservation of Ashur;
4. Encourages the State Party to establish, as early as possible, a site management coordination unit, which will be responsible for any action to be undertaken on the property;
5. Requests the State Party to prepare a Conservation and Management Plan for the site, possibly through an International Assistance Request, and, should the situation permit, with international expertise;
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS to continue assisting the responsible Iraqi authorities;
7. Further requests the State Party to report, by 1 February 2006, on the progress made in implementing the above recommendations, for examination by the Committee at its 30th session in 2006 ;
8. Decides to retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Iraq
Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
